Wherein I taste three distinct ales

A certain bespectacled (therefore: wise) and tie-loving professor would encourage his journalism students at the University of Western Ontario to “pour a cold one” while writing. I decided to take his advice and live blog my way through St-Ambroise’s 2013 Vintage Ale collection to discern the subtle differences between the years, using only the finest tasting methods.

1:22 I taste top notes of plum paired with holiday spice. Must be those famous Munich malts. Those Germans sure know how to pretend they invented beer.

3:55 It reminds me of Polish gingerbread cookies (pierniczki) filled with plum jam. Brings me back to my middle school days. God, why didn’t I take up drinking sooner? I could have been a cool kid!

12:00 It’s warmed up to room temperature. Perfect! Now all the subtle notes will have come out. It’s starting to taste a bit like banana bread because the malt is making way for the grain flavours. And is that toffee peeking out from under the hops?

12:05 Dammit, I’m drinking beer at room temperature.

12:35 Here comes the rest of the beer!

14:52 I am not an adult and cannot nurse a beer. I don’t deserve nice things.

2012

0:00 Okay, I’m determined to make this one last. Malty goodness, here we come!

0:10 Pouring into a Scotch glass on account of it looking pretty damn sweet. The colour is more transparent than the coffee mug let on. Almost zero head.

1:01 This one definitely seems more mellow, with a few grassy notes. Must be showing its age!

4:32 Wait, could it be that the crystal Scotch glass opened up the flavours? This journalist knows confirmation bias when he sees it! B-b-b-busted!

14:08 Took me this long to pour a second glass, I’m on track! To liver damage. This is a 10 per cent extra-strong beer.